Karnataka CM to discuss budget proposals with ministers today

 The meeting of the council of ministers called by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday is expected to discuss the state budget proposals for the financial year 2017-18.

Siddaramaiah, who also holds the finance portfolio, will be presenting his 12th budget (a record in the state) on March 15, and it is largely expected to be a populist one.

This will the Congress government’s last full-fledged budget before the Assembly polls next year.

Siddaramaiah is expected to announce some succour for farmers, who are reeling under severe drought, announce sops for Ahinda (Kannada acronym for OBCs, Dalits and minority) communities, provide more grains under the Anna Bhagya scheme and freebies for BPL families, among others.

Official sources said Siddaramaiah is keen on getting a collective opinion from his ministerial colleagues on the budget proposals. The reason the council of ministers’ meeting (which will be attended by ministers of state-rank also) has been convened instead of the state cabinet (where only Cabinet ministers attend) is to ensure participation by all ministers, sources added.

There have not been many instances in the past when a council of ministers’ meeting has been convened to discuss budget proposals.

During the past few days, Siddaramaiah has been holding department-wise pre-budget meetings.

The state government’s decision to scrap the controversial steel flyover project in Bengaluru is also likely to figure in Monday’s meeting.

Bengaluru Development Minister K J George had announced on Thursday that the government will not go ahead with flyover project, after consulting Siddaramaiah.
The decision will now have to be ratified by the state cabinet.